SEQ OVERNIGHTERS - ADARE: GATTON

We had an Easter Weekend with the guys from SEQ Overnights to a member’s farm in Adare, just near gatton.

Gatton is the largest town and business centre of the Lockyer Valley. It is a progressive and vibrant town centred on primary production and agriculture. Officially gazetted in 1855, Gatton has a culturally diverse population of approximately 7,000 and enjoys a laidback, country lifestyle. The town is dependent on the local farming community, supplying machinery, parts, irrigation equipment as well as essential products and services.

Arriving Good Friday we setup and chilled while we waited for everyone else. Our dog Shari got to meet and play mate and an afternoon of 4wding and drinking proceeded.  

Saturday we were all up and early to a trip to the Old Fernvale Bakery. It’s a fact… people from far and wide travel long distances to purchase their superb breads, pies and huge range of pastry delights. In the last 20 plus years, they have won more national awards in the Great Aussie Meat Pie Competition than any other pie shop in Queensland. In 2010 they won 40 medals. They are honoured for their skill, flair and quality, which has been recognised within the Baking Industry with various ribbons at the Brisbane Royal National Show including the Pied Piper RNA Sponge Cake Award.. The bakery might talk themselves up, but we don’t rate them in our Top Ten, other people might not agree. After everyone scoffed down on pies for breakfast we headed to Savages Crossing. Popular camping and swimming spot.

This spot is right in the middle of shallow rapids. A good swimming location and fairly safe for kids. It is possible to launch a small boat here; however there is little navigable water with more serious rapids immediately above and below. Large area for bank walking however and a not a very productive fishing location at most times. We parked up and had a play in the water for a few hours, then took a drive out to Esk to check out the Antiques stores, then looped back to Gatton and onto Adare. Light rain and a change of storms made an early night.

Sunday we headed in to the town of Toowoomba. Crisp winter air, knee-deep autumn leaves, clear summer days and a riot of colour in spring; nowhere else in Queensland will you experience all four seasons as distinctively as right there. Just 90 minutes from Brisbane, Toowoomba crowns the edge of the Great Dividing Range 700 metres above sea level, overlooking the Lockyer Valley. So close but a world away. We headed into thick fog up the range and headed first to Picnic Point Lookout. Total whiteout awaited us and we had some fun with some photos and moved onto the PCYC markets in the centre of town. Kim walked around checking out the markets while I looked after the dog. We then headed to the main shopping centre followed by the Japanese Gardens. The rest of the group took a scenery drive around some tracks around Laidley. A couple of cars took a night 4wd around some tracks on the farm while the rest of us chilled and chatted by the fire.

Monday was packup and back to reality.